Competing

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpiːtɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Involving oneself in a contest or rivalry to obtain a specific aim
2. Taking part in events or situations where individuals or groups strive to exceed their rivals
3. Actively taking part in a contest or challenge to achieve a goal

Etymology: "Competing" is the present participle of "compete," so its history is really the history of the verb. That verb came into English by way of Middle French "competer," which in turn came from Latin "competere," meaning "to coincide" or "to be equal to." The Latin prefix "com-" means "with" or "together," and the root "petere" means "to seek" or "to aim for." Put together, the idea is of several people making for the same goal at once. The surprising part is that the Latin sense was not really about rivalry. "Competere" could describe things that fitted together or matched, and a claim could be said to "compete" with a right or a duty when it properly belonged to someone. The notion of striving against others for a prize developed later, as the word moved through French and into English.

Synonyms: contending, rivaling, challenging, striving, fighting

Antonyms: cooperating, collaborating, assisting, aiding, supporting